After dismissing some of its staff, the La Falaise Hotel group has finally closed its three hotels located in the Akwa, Bonanjo and Bonapriso neighbourhoods in Cameroon’s economic hub Douala.
This decision as explained within the hotel chain is motivated by the lack of customers caused by the Covid-19. If the empire of the Cameroonian billionaire Pascal Monkam, does not advance figures, the losses are considered considerable in this period of health crisis which has stricken the tourism sector and particularly the hotel industry. Containment is the rule in several countries.
The group mentions a lack of customers and promises to reopen as soon as the pandemic ends. This is one of the direct economic consequences of the Covid-19. It is feared operations in Yaounde, (the Covid19 ground zero in Cameroon) and Bafang might also fold up for similar reasons.
However, the hotel group says it is ready to reopen at the end of the pandemic.
Other hotel establishments that might soon shut down any moment due to Covid 19 . Revenue from the sector has drastically dropped. Those that are open can barely make profit. At the moment, they are forced to lower their rates just to have clients.
An official of Noubou International hotel disclosed to us that, management had taken a loan to enable them adequately meet the standards and facilitate the reception of clients for the African Nations Championship CHAN 2020 and African Cup of Nations AFCON 2021. But with the coronavirus, they like others who took the same initiative are swimming in debts.
Adolphe Njang is cook who was recently laid off from one of the hotels in Douala. He told CEMAC ECO FINANCE that things have been extremely difficult for him. “I now survive thanks to my friend who gives me his motor bike to work. I earn between 1500FCFA to 2000FCFA daily to keep soul and body together.” Hotel promoters want government to take their plight into account when working out accompanying measures. At the moment they are left to themselves.
